Super Dimension Fortress Macross
is a 1982 anime television series created by Studio Nue, w:c:animanga:Artland and Tatsunoko. It started the Macross metaseries and the Super Dimension Trilogy, all of which financially supported by the Big West advertising agency. It was later adapted as the first part of Robotech by w:c:animanga:Carl Macek and Harmony Gold. Plot Background In the year 1999, a huge object fell from the heavens, a gigantic space battleship, over 12000 metres in length. Further investigation proved that the technology that drove this ship far surpassed mankind's own. And while no trace of alien beings could be found on board, the ship itself was clear proof that not only did life exist beyond our planet, but that it had made the stars its battlefield. In response a united Earth government was formed, and its first priority was the restoration of the alien spacecraft. But the task of establishing a world government was by no means an easy one and pockets of intense and armed resistance erupted across the face of the world. Despite this, restoration of the battleship progressed steadily and when the long and painful unification wars came to an end, and the Earth was once again at peace, the alien battleship rebuilt by humans hands was given a new name with which to start its new life, the Macross. It has now been ten years since the Macross fell to Earth... Main Story In 2009 at the launch of the Macross, a young civilian pilot, Hikaru Ichijō, comes to visit the Macross upon UN Spacy pilot Roy Focker's request. During the launch ceremony, a space war fleet from an alien race of humanoid giants arrives into the solar system and identifies the Macross as a former battleship used by their enemies, the Supervision Army. As the aliens, known as the Zentradi, approach the Macross, the original systems override the crew's commands and fire its main cannon, wiping out the advance alien scouts and starting a war. While Hikaru takes the new VF-1 Valkyrie he was going to test with Roy Focker but when all fighters were ordered to launch. He then encounters Lynn Minmay and rescues her from the aliens. The Macross crew headed by Captain Bruno J. Global attempts to use the experimental “Fold System” (Faster-than-light drives) to escape to the Moon's orbit, but it accidentally takes the Macross and South Ataria Island to the edge of the solar system instead. The people from the Macross salvage everything they can, including the city surrounding the ship and its civilians (who have survived in special safety shelters, which were transported along intact), and attach two aircraft carriers to the ship. Since the fold systems have vanished after the jump, the Macross is forced to make its way back to Earth by conventional power. The Zentradi suspect the humans might be their creators, the Protoculture. Under the command of Britai Kridanik and Exsedol Folmo, they plot ways to understand them. Fearful of their old combat directives of not interfering with Protoculture, the Zentradi perform attacks to test their theories about the people on board the Macross, and even have their Zentradi soldiers "micloned" (miniaturized) to learn more about their culture. The Zentradi capture several Macross personnel including Officer Misa Hayase and Hikaru to study. Boddole Zer, Supreme Commander of the Zentradi, is puzzled over things such as relationships amongst males and females. He confirms that the Miclones "are" protoculture during a demonstrated kiss between Hayase and Hikaru. After escaping, Hikaru and the others report their findings to their superiors, who have trouble accepting the reasons behind the Zentradi attacks as well as the huge forces the aliens possess. After much difficulty returning back to Earth, the UN Spacy refuses to allow the Macross and the civilian passengers to return back to land. Minmay's cousin, Lynn Kaifun, decides to join the Macross to see his parents and also look after Minmay. Because of Kaifun's relationship and constant contact with Minmay, the pair eventually enter a romantic relationship. After deliberation, the UN Spacy orders the Macross to leave Earth as a means to get the Zentradi away from them. During all these events, a female Zentradi ace fighter pilot, Milia Fallyna, is micloned and attempts to assassinate Maximilian Jenius, an ace UN Spacy pilot. Attempting to kill him during a knife duel, Milia is defeated and falls in love with Max, and the two are subsequently married. Their wedding aboard the Macross is broadcast to the Zentradi as a message that aliens and humans can co-exist. Since the Zentradi's exposure to culture and to Lynn Minmay's songs, some of them become eager to join the humans. Believing the "miclone contamination" is becoming a threat to all Zentradi forces, Boddole Zer orders his entire army to exterminate the human race and all those Zentradi previously exposed to human culture. Because Britai Kridanik was "contaminated" as well, he works with the humans to defeat the main Zentradi forces. The resulting battle culminates in the large scale destruction of Earth, but the people of the SDF-1 survive. After Boddole Zer is killed and his armada defeated, the surviving humans and their Zentradi allies begin rebuilding the Earth. Two years after the end of the first Space War the transition into the Human ways becomes difficult to some Zentradi who can't stand the idea of a pacified life. Quamzin Kravshera constantly incites conflicts towards the civilians. He repairs a damaged Zentradi warship to return to his old ways and attacks the new Macross City built around the SDF-1. Moments before the final Zentradi attack, Misa Hayase tells Hikaru Ichijō of her feelings for him and her decision to leave to space in a colonization mission to preserve human culture across the galaxy. Lynn Minmay, who was left by Kaifun and now loves Hikaru, doesn't want him to leave to join the fight. However, Hikaru still goes to defend the city anyway. Eventually Quamzin is destroyed. After a long emotional conflict Hikaru finally decides to be with Misa and join the colonization mission, but the two remain good friends with Minmay in the end. Episodes Super Dimension Fortress Macross Episodes Characters Humans Civilians *Lynn Minmay *Yoshio UN Spacy *Hikaru Ichijyo *Misa Hayase *Roy Focker *Bruno J. Global Zentradi Mechanic Production The original concept came from the staff at Studio Nue and Artland. Planning was done by Yoshimasa Ohnishi and Studio Nue with screenplays written by Kenichi Matsuzaki. Mechanical animation was directed by Ichiro Itano, mechanical designs were provided by Shoji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake and character designs by Haruhiko Mikimoto, all of Studio Nue. Studio Nue required a big budget for such a show and thus required animation powerhouse Tatsunoko Productions but Tatsunoko also outsourced the work to cheaper studios like Anime Friend and Star Pro. Big West advertising company financed the show, putting it under their "Super Dimension Trilogy" moniker. The chief director was the highly experienced Noboru Ishiguro, who had directed Space Battleship Yamato, one of the shows that inspired and influenced young Studio Nue members. Release The series was originally licensed in North America by AnimEigo, who restored the series and released it unedited on DVD with Japanese audio and English subtitles. At first a limited edition pre-order boxset across nine discs was released on December 21, 2001. Preorders were available on AnimEigo's web store. Three smaller boxsets, each comprising three discs, were released from September 10, 2002. Finally, AnimEigo released nine individual volumes. In 2003 Madman Entertainment released a six-disc PAL format version of this edition entitled Macross Ultimate Collection. In the summer of 2005, ADV Films announced that it would be releasing an English dub of Macross on January 10, 2006. This is the first complete, unedited English dub for Macross, and featured Mari Iijima returning to reprise the role of Lynn Minmay. Hikaru Ichijyo was dubbed by Vic Mignona, the voice of Edward Elric of Full Metal Alchemist and Kurz Weber of Full Metal Panic![http://www25.advfilms.com/titles/macross/ ADV Films Official Macross English Dub Page.]English/Japanese Cast Information. 04-09-09 This version was streamed by Hulu in the United States from February 2010 but was removed in February 2013. Trivia N/a References Macross Macross Category:SDF Macross